A/N: Wow, haven't done this in a while so here we go, Sandra as always thank you, Ulrikke thanks, Ziah Tabitha really isn't Chuck, the story about that will be interesting. Thanks for reviewing, Oc-journey06 thank you, more interaction with Chuck and Tabitha in this chapter and Blair's past will come up in little bits over the next few chapters, Ogg my old chum you never fail to review, really appreciated, I hope you like the story even if you don't like that Tabitha isn't Chucks, Littlemissme cool screen name, I hope you think the story is going to be good. HnM skinnys thank you, here is one update for ya. Bella thank you but she did not lie, sorry but there will be an interesting twist between Chuck and Tabitha, Ronan thank you, Highonlife, thanks and I also think your screen name is cool

As always please read and review

Chapter 2: polite conversation and a decent proposal

Blair sat in the large two bedroom hotel suite, staring vacantly at the television. Chuck had left her half an hour ago to get unpacked but that hadn't taken long as she little to unpack. Tabitha was still in the play room, Blair had rung down to check and found out that she was having a great time. Blair pulled her legs underneath herself and covered them with her dress. She chewed on her bottom lip, she was not sure what to do with herself. She lifted the hotel broacher that was sitting on the table and started to flip through it. She really wasn't paying attention to it, she just had to distract herself. She had taught herself not to feel anything for herself. She loved her daughter but that was the only emotion she ever felt. Blair looked around the living room of the suite, this was somewhere five years ago she would have said she belonged but right now she felt completely out of place.

"Calm down Blair she is safe" she muttered to herself

Blair tried to calm herself but it didn't work. She lifted one of the magazines that was sitting on the table and started to flick through it but when she realised she wasn't actually reading it she through it back onto the table. She stood up and walked over to the window. She looked out over the Upper East Side, the place she used to call home, the place in high-school she dominated, the place that scared her and made her feel safe all at the same time. She pulled her cardigan tighter around her body, and sighed. She could no longer take staying here by herself. She stood up and slipped her shoes on, grabbed the key and left the room.

Blair got out of the lift at the ground floor. She asked the receptionist where the play room was, and followed her directions. She walked down the long corridor to the play room. She looked through the window and saw Chuck on the floor with his sleeves painting, Tabitha was sitting beside Chuck, making a complete mess on a paper and most of the paint going over the floor. She smiled when she saw how happy Tabitha was, it was something she hadn't seen in a while. She watched as Tabitha handed the paint-brush to Chuck and he drew a smiley face.

"So what college do you go to?"

Tabitha laughed "I'm only four, I am not old enough to go to college yet"

"Really, I thought you were twenty four, silly me." Chuck smiled "so do you go to school?"

"Nope, me and Mummy just visit different places all the time. She says that I am learning culture whatever that is."

"That is something worth learning." Chuck said adding some more paint to his brush "Do you like travelling?"

"Yeah, I get to see loads off different things, like I saw the big white building where Mr President lives. There were action men on the roof, I thought they were really funny."

"Wow I have never been there. Would you come with me some time?"

Tabitha looked up and nodded with a very serious look on her face, "ok but only if Mommy says it is ok because she is the boss". She returned her eyes back to the painting. Chuck had to bite his lip to stop laughing. He heard a knock on the door and looked up to see Blair leaning against the door frame.

Chuck looked up "we have decided to open our own gallery."

"I can see that" Blair smiled. "I think Monet has some serious competition on his hands."

Chuck laughed looking back down to the picture and painting his name under the smiley face, "Miss Tabitha can you excuse me for a minute"

The small girl nodded "yes Mr Chuck"

Chuck set the paint brush in the pot full of water and stood up. He walked over to Blair "is the room ok for you? Do you have everything you need?"

"The room is......I don't even know how to start thanking you Chuck. I have more than I could ever need."

"You don't need to thank me." Chuck said turning round to watch Tabitha "she is incredible Blair, she is just incredible."

"Yeah she is something else." Blair smiled

"I know I couldn't have coped four years ago, and I am sorry for that" Chuck said quietly

"I'm sorry too"

The silence filled the room. Tabitha brought a picture over to Blair and handed it to her, it was a picture. The picture contained three people. Blair smiled "that's lovely Munchkin, who is it?"

"That's you, that's me and that is Mr Chuck" Tabitha replied pointing to the different figures on the page.

Blair smiled at her daughter. She realised that in the short half an hour Tabitha had spent with Chuck she had become attached to him. That scared her because she wasn't sure if she would be sticking around, she was never sure if she was sticking around. She looked back down at the three stick figures on the page and tried not to think of the positive effect Chuck could have on both their lives.

She began to wonder if she was really willing to use this man to secure her daughter a better life, then she realised she would die to make sure her daughter had a better life. She needed Chuck, and more than that Tabitha needed Chuck and she had to give her daughter what she needed, no matter what the cost is to her.

"I think that would sell for millions but I would like to make you an offer Miss Tabitha" Chuck smiled, "I think it would look lovely in my office."

Tabitha took the picture out of Blair's hand and give it to Chuck "it is a present for you."

"Thank you Miss Tabitha." Chuck leaned down and kissed Tabitha gently on the cheek, "do you want to know a secret? This is the best present I have ever gotten."

"Well you are the nicest person I have ever met." Tabitha smiled and then turned round to face Blair "Mom we are going to see the White House!"

"Are we indeed?" Blair laughed

"Yes but only for a holiday because I want to live here. I want to stay in this room because it is unbelievable cool, can I play in it some more?"

"Yeah away you go, but don't' make a mess!"

"Don't listen to your Mom" Chuck whispered loudly "go make as much mess as you want."

Tabitha giggled and ran over to inspect a pile of toys in the corner. Chuck smiled and walked over to join Blair. He gestured for her to step outside the room and as she did he closed the door after himself. Blair stood at the window watching her daughter pull pieces of a puzzle out of a box and spread them over the floor. Chuck stood beside her and watched Tabitha through the window. "I never realised I was so boring until now" he laughed

"She makes the simplest things fun, I have no idea how she does it. She certainly doesn't get it from me."

"I think she gets a lot from you. She is just a mini you. You know she told me that when she grows up she wanted to be exactly like you."

Blair laughed bitterly "what, homeless, sponging off her ex boyfriend and a rubbish Mom?"

"First off you are not homeless." Chuck said turning round to face Blair "secondly it is not sponging when the person is more than willing to do it, and thirdly that child in there is ridiculously happy, she is healthy, and smarter than me so I think you are a great Mom."

"As soon as I get on my feet again I will be out of your hair, I promise"

Chuck sighed and was going to argue but then he had a thought "I need a new communications director here. Will you work for me?"

"What?"

"Well if you work for me then you will not be sponging and it will help you get back on your feet. Don't answer now, I will have a job description drawn up and brought to you this evening." Chuck replied to a rather dumbfounded Blair, and then turned to face Tabitha, "excuse me miss Tabitha but I must attend to some business but would you do me the honour of joining me for breakfast in the morning."

"Of course Mr Chuck, and thank you for your time."

The pleasure was all mine" Chuck said leaving the room before Blair could even argue.

Blair looked down at her daughter "wow".

"I know, isn't this room the coolest thing ever!"